She Stopped for Death: A Little Library Mystery

Welcome, fellow readers!  I hope you have had a great Sunday.  I am featuring Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli today.  Elizabeth writes the Emily Kinkaid Mysteries and A Little Library Mystery series.  You can follow Elizabeth on Facebook for the latest news on her books.

She Stopped for Death by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli is the second book in A Little Library Mystery series.  Jenny Weston lives with her mother, Dora in Bear Falls, Michigan.  Jenny moved back home after she divorced her husband.  They have two little library boxes in front of their home (one for adult books and one for children’s).  Jenny, Dora, and their neighbor, Zoe Zola have been spending their evenings on the screened in porch.  They notice a light coming down the street, and then someone stopped at the boxes.  It is the reclusive poetess, Emily Sutton.  Dora calls out to Emily, and Emily quickly runs away.  When they check the library boxes the next morning, they discover slips of paper with poems written on them.  It seems that Emily has started writing again and wishes to share her work.  Twenty-five years prior Emily had published a book of poetry.  After a book tour, Emily returned to the family home and did not venture out until now.  The next night Emily ventures by again and respond to Dora’s greeting.  Emily had lived in the family home on Pewee Swamp with her sister, Lorna.  Their cousin, Althea did the shopping for them (and the local banker paid their bills).  Lorna packed up and left with man according to Emily, and Althea has not been by recently.  Zoe volunteers to do the shopping for Emily.  Jenny and Zoe agree to visit Althea and see if she is well.  Then Alex Shipley shows up in town looking for her uncle, Walter.  He disappeared three years ago.  Walter had corresponded with Emily and was coming to Bear Falls for a visit.  What happened to Lorna, Althea, and Walter?  Emily and Zoe set out to get answers but what happens when Zoe disappears.

She Stopped for Death contains good writing and interesting characters.  Jenny has several “issues”.  She is jealous of her sister (Lisa), upset over her divorce, does not know what she wants to do with her life, has trust issues, and has trouble communicating especially with Tony Ralenti (the guy she is attracted to).  Jenny stews about her relationship with Tony, rants about her sister, and has no clue what to do with her future (you just want to shove a sock in her mouth).  Zoe Zola, the neighbor, is a quirky character.  Zoe is a little person who writes fairy tales.  She has fairy houses all over her yard with fairy occupants (she moves them around, gives them stories, and talks to them).  I am not a fan of Zoe.  Instead of funny, I find her unlikeable (really dislike her dialogue).  I give She Stopped for Death 3 out of 5 stars (am I being too kind?).  I figured out the mystery early in the novel (it was not complicated).   While She Stopped for Death is the second book in the series, it can be read alone.  The author provides the character background and details from the first book in the series.  I was hoping the second book in the series would be an improvement upon A Most Curious Murder (which is why I gave the series a second chance).  A Little Library Mystery series is just not for me.  I believe it is supposed to be quirky and humorous, but instead I found it foolish and nonsensical.

Do not forget that tonight is Framed for Murder:  A Fixer-Upper Mystery movie on Hallmark Movie and Mysteries channel.  It is based on A Fixer-Upper Mystery series by Kate Carlisle.  May all of you have a wonderful, Sunday evening.  I will return tomorrow to review Time Out by Suzanne Trauth.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader